Everytime I have riden or just watched Firehawk it always seems like they take forever to load the trains, especially the one on the left (looking at the station from the line, I think it is on the North side). I was out there on Thursday night, and there was almost no line so my wife and I decided to ride it. Even though only one switch back was full it took us almost 30 minutes to actually get on the ride. During that period the south train would always get back to the station 1 or 2 minutes before the north one left the station.

So why does it take so long for them to turn these trains?

I've wondered about this too. I know that some people have trouble with the restraints so the operators have to go and double check everything but I mean the wait time gets pretty iffy sometimes.

Firehawk is just one of those rides that it takes a minute or two just to get the train loaded.

I totally agree that they take to long to load this ride. I love the coaster but honestly I'm getting sick of waiting even when there is "no wait". It was the last ride I rode at KI during my last visit, and when I got in line, it wasn't busy at all. In fact all the turnstile's were closed, and there was just one line going to the guy with the seperator. Took me nearly 40 minutes to get on the ride from that point. And i was watching, and noticing one station would have all their cars full, then the next station would have all their cars full, then they would let one car go, then the other car go, all and all a complete ride cycle of both cars took like 10 minutes or so.

Its the only ride in the park where you'll acctually see "downtime" when they are loading. What I mean is no cars at going on the coaster at all, no cars in que, etc. I really hope this is something that improves on this ride.

^ I agree. Firehawk is the only two train coaster I can recall that consistently doesn't have any trains on the track for minutes at a time.

One thing I noticed on Thursday is on the North side the operator wouldn't open the gates until EVERYONE getting off had gone down the stairs. Most coasters open the gates right after they release the restraints, which is how they were doing it for the South side on Firehawk.

Well, personally I think Firehawk doesn't take THAT long to load. I'm sure the ride workers do their best to move fast AND make sure everyone is properly in the restraints correctly. I've waited about 50 minutes when all the turnstiles we're open, except about 2 or 3, So i'd say they do a pretty good job. Just think of it like this, would you rather have KI get sued because the workers aren't checking everything thoroughly, and someone falls out and dies, or would you rather wait an extra minute or so!?

I agree, although I imagine its just the perceived thing. In my opinion, Firehawk is probably the most frustrating ride to wait in line for.

Not saying they should cut corners at all, I am saying that it takes a long time sometimes and they should try to figure out how to speed the process up.

I've waited in an almost full line for it twice, both times it took about an hour, which isn't horrible but the Que really isn't that long either.

If you look at the process you would understand. Get into your seats buckle your restraints (You are guranteed to have a guest that is unfamiliar with the restraint), Push two bars back and check both the bar and the shoulder restraint, then you have to wait for the other train to return then you have to put the train into the fly position. Then when you get back you have to do all that in reverse pretty much

Not only that, but for safety reasons, guests are not supposed to pull down the bottom restraint themselves....

The heat can make a wait seem forever also.

It does take a while but just think. Load, check, undo the restraints because someone can't seem to buckle a seatbelt, check, lower, dispatch. I really wish the seats would "recline" on the lift like they were supposed to when Vekoma originally came up with Stealth er....Borg Assimilator....er Nighthawk. Sorry.

When Firehawk operated at Geuga Lake as X-Flight, did it ever run it's third train?

Yes, it did. Briefly....

Borghawk, sorry Nighthawk at Carowinds has seen longer load/unload times this year than in times past. Mostly this has been due to the ops crew being more interested in entertaining themselves than getting trains in and out in a timely manner. I have heard that this is being dealt with so I hope it gets better. Just thought I might throw that one in.

I've have been on:

-Firehawk

-BORG/Nighthawk

-Superman:UF

And all of them are HORRIBLE with operations. This is why I see 'flyers' as a fad coaster. They breakdown too much and just aren't efficient. Sure, the first time you ride the coaster..it's pretty darn cool. Second or third? I didn't think much of it.

I would have to agree with that. I love Firehawk, don't get me wrong, but when I rode it the first time as X-Flight the sensation was amazing....the second time...not so much.

Hmmm. I've ridden all the US B and M flying coasters and the three Vekoma Flying Dutchmen. I much prefer Tatsu to any of the rest...but I then put the three Vekomas over the remaining B and M flyers. And of the three Vekomas, I like the original, now known as Nighthawk, at Carowinds, best of all....it is simply one of my favorite coasters anywhere.

Corkscrews > Heartline rolls.

I think ops has declined overall at all parks. I have not been to KI in a few years but at Carowinds, for example, Top Gun/Afterburn used to run darn near as effecient as Vortex at KI. This year very slow due to ops. Is this a Cedar Fair thing, management, or just the name of the game anymore?

Also, I agree with the first ride thing on flying dutchman rides. The first time is off the hook, but now I'm just not impressed. The model at Carowinds seems to shake and just seems to ride almost worn out. Is this just a Vekoma deal or is it the nature of the ride?

^ In a way I agree and in a way I don't. I think in certain cases the ops have decreased in quality. However, I don't think so much at Firehawk. I think they are quite friendly and in a couple of cases, entertaining.

Nighthawk aka Borg aka Stealth got a full redo when it was moved. The year it opened down there, it was smoother than when it was new, by all accounts. I haven't been to Carowinds yet this year. I always consider that "shakiness" part of the ride experience, and believe the ride is designed to ride that way.

Not to mention that all structures have to be able to move or sway in high winds, or else stress builds up and causes it to break. And when there is a train going 50+ miles per hour on said structure, it can seem to shake and sway more than used to.